Current weather

Darlene Superville

WASHINGTON (AP) — Michelle Obama says she dropped boxed macaroni and cheese from her family's diet after her daughter couldn't turn a block of cheese into cheese powder.

In an interview in the March issue of Cooking Light magazine, Mrs. Obama says Sam Kass, the family's former personal chef, had taken a stand against the boxed variety, which includes processed cheese powder among the ingredients.

"He said there's nothing wrong with mac and cheese, but it's got to be real food," she said, crediting him with helping to eliminate processed food from their diet.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama has done his part to support independently owned businesses as the holiday shopping season begins.

Obama bought at least two bags of books Saturday during a stop at Washington's Politics and Prose bookstore.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving has been promoted in recent years as "Small Business Saturday." It's designed to encourage shopping at independent stores in between the frenzy of Black Friday sales at large retailers and Cyber Monday deals from online sellers.

WASHINGTON | After less than four months at the Veterans Affairs Department, Sloan D. Gibson suddenly finds himself in charge of fixing the problems that led to the resignation of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki.

"Sloan, I think, would be the first to acknowledge that he's going to have a learning curve that he's got to deal with," President Barack Obama told reporters after announcing Friday that Gibson would replace Shinseki temporarily.

WASHINGTON | Saying he wants kids to play sports but play safely, President Barack Obama called Thursday for more and better research into the effects and treatment of concussions in youth athletes. The issue is one of growing concern for parents who spend weekends driving their kids from one game to another.

OAKDALE, Pa. | President Barack Obama says it's more urgent than ever for the U.S. to move forward on job training.

Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are trumpeting $600 million in new competitive grants to spur creation of targeted training and apprenticeship programs that could help people land well-paying jobs.

Obama says not all of today's good jobs require a four-year college degree. But he says there are no jobs that will pay a lot without specialized training. He says the nation's best bet is to keep ahead in the global skills race.

WASHINGTON | Michelle Obama and Jill Biden are getting some high-profile support for their initiative to help military families.

They'll be joined at the White House on Friday by former first lady Rosalynn Carter and former Sen. Elizabeth Dole for an announcement about support for the caregivers of wounded service members and veterans.

A recent report commissioned by Dole's foundation says there are an estimated 5.5 million military caregivers in the U.S. More than 1 million of them are providing care for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says having a more fuel-efficient truck fleet will boost the economy and help combat climate change.

Obama on Tuesday was to visit a Washington-area distribution center for Safeway stores to announce the newest steps he plans to take on his own to bolster the economy when he thinks Congress isn't doing its job. He returned late Monday from a three-day golf getaway in Southern California.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Honoring the legacy of John F. Kennedy, President Barack Obama laid a wreath at the assassinated president's gravesite as a nation remembers that terrible day in Dallas a half-century ago Friday. Obama also recognized a group of distinguished Americans — including Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey — with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, an award created by Kennedy.